If a classroom teacher checked out The Biggest Snowball of All, he/she would be the only person who could access this title for whatever loan period we set (and we are considering 2 or 3 days). The teacher's checkout would "live in the cloud" which means that he/she could view the book from any computer with internet access. OR the teacher could download the new Follett app which is called Enlight onto his/her mobile device. At that point, the teacher could also have The Biggest Snowball of All on his/her ipad or smartphone. At the end of the loan period, the ebook simply disappears. The teacher would also have the option to return the ebook early.
How do you feel about this? For example, if a bunch of 4th grade students at Bonneville checked out the rock and mineral ebooks because they were doing a project in their classroom -- and then 4th grade students at Rose Park were doing rock and mineral and fossil research in the library, those ebooks would not be available for any librarian for research purposes.
How do you think the classroom teachers in your school would feel about this? We have a concern about some of the popular ebook titles. For example, the Martin Luther King, Jr. ebooks (we have 4 of them) are very popular in January. If we DON'T check out ebooks, those 4 ebooks could conceivably be used by dozens and dozens of teachers over the course of the month. Since most teachers probably only use these ebooks for 20 minutes or so with their students, many many teachers could use these ebooks just in one day. But if we turn on the checkout feature, then those 4 titles could be tied up, and many fewer teachers would be able to use them.
How do you think your students would respond to this? We have recently purchased a small beginning collection of novels (such as Hunger Games) that could be checked out, and we also have a few free novels that are in the public domain (such as Wuthering Heights) that could be checked out. Most of these ebooks are secondary titles. Do you think students would be interested in using the Enlight app on their personal mobile devices and checking out Hunger Games or The Book Thief or The Maze Runner or The Raven Boys or Twilight? We would probably make the loan period 2 weeks for these ebooks. If we make ebooks checkout-able, the features in Shelf where students can take notes and highlight passages and save them would be functionable. We would probably allow students to check out 2-3 ebooks at a time. Students would continue to be able to check out their normal amounts of regular hard copy books as well.
The ebooks cannot check out from the external Shelf link listed on the district page. Students and teachers would check out their ebooks from within your Destiny catalog.
We would love to get your input about checking out ebooks!
As a side note -- we haven't heard yet if UEN has decided to purchase the MyOn ebooks and make them a permanent part of Pioneer Online Library. But IF they do decide to do this, then those ebooks will also be checkout-able through UEN.
I think that the teachers at my school would like to check out the ebooks just so they know they have them and they do not have to worry about them being available. Is it possible to purchase more copies of the ebook titles? Could half of the copies be made available for checkout and the other half not? That way some teachers could have a copy for a couple of days and other teachers would use the other copies just that day?
ReplyDeleteMy students do not have as much access to the internet outside of school as other students in the district do. They would be excited to use the ebooks at school but not so much outside of the school. I do not have kindles or nooks that I check out. I am not sure if that would work in my school's area. Are there any schools that are Title I-low income in the district that check out devices to read ebooks on?
yes, we should allow check out of e-books. it's inevitable anyway, and by offering the service now, we are allowing students and teachers to access books in one more way. If teachers would be conscientious about returning popular books as soon as their use is complete, then the problem of unavailability may be mitigated. I think secondary students would love to have e-book novels. Many of them have devices and already check out books from the public libraries. I hate to tell you though that just about every kid at my school has already read The Hunger Games. Not that it's not a great title and worth re-reading from the e-book collection, but I might caution against evaluating the merits of e-book check out service based on titles largely consumed in the past.
ReplyDeleteI agree that ebooks are definitely the future. I think students at East would check out ebooks. I realize that Hunger Games and Maze Runner, etc. have been out for a while and have been read by many students, however, they are still being checked out regularly from East's library.
ReplyDeleteNow, on the flip side, I have Kindles loaded with very popular titles. They are not checking out at all. I think the reason might be that they are not touch screen so students don't know how or want to learn how to use them.
My question might be: Can these Kindles somehow be checked out to download any of the Follette e books?
As far as teachers go, my resource teachers use the ebooks on the bookshelf right now. I am not sure they would do the checkout system but I can check with them.
Wow! This is a good question. I am able to agree with both opinions. I am going to vote to leave it as is for simplicity and to make ebooks more available. (Since most teachers probably only use these ebooks for 20 minutes or so with their students, many, many teachers could use these ebooks just in one day.)
ReplyDeleteIf and when UEN purchases the material, we could make the change then based on the circumstances at that time.
I am going to ask everyone who comes in today and I will let you know if they would like eBooks on their device. I think eBooks have a purpose and that is access on a device. Julie knows I am excited about using them. Remember my order? My outside sites like Rose Park and SLCC and Centro Civico, etc. could really benefit from their use. Could we consider purchasing "unlimited access" eBooks? I am living for the day "A Child Called It" becomes an eBook.
ReplyDeleteJill - We have Kindles here and I loaded "A Child Called It". Best decision that I ever made! I know where 6 copies are at all times. Those on the shelves disappear faster than I can buy them.
DeleteHow do you check out kindles so they don't get lost?
DeleteA document that both the student and the parent sign with the $150.00 replacement/damage cost highlighted (Linda M. created all of this - Thanks!); the student's circulation record of no recent unpaid fines plus on-time book returns; attending a short presentation about using the Kindle; and notices within days of the due date (2 week checkout) and if overdue.
DeleteThere is an element of "Fear of Mrs. Herron" (FOMH), just like the FOM (Fear of Mom) that my boys grew up with. They know that I have high expectations and will keep on them. So far, I have not had any Kindles stolen (I have had 2 inadvertently damaged).
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ReplyDeleteI think access by the masses is best for us. I use ebooks a lot and almost never have availability issues. Checkout for chapter and nonfiction books is a great option. Our students don't have access at home as much as some populations.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea if novels being checked out so they really could be read. I don't think they should be able to take more than 1 at a time though. With our limited number of copies one student could tie up several books while others would like to read it. I, also, would love to see unlimited access on some of the more popular titles have at least more copies. I like having the nonfiction and picture books available for use by all. I don't believe those books need to be out for longer periods and it would really limit the use of them. Maybe those books could check out like a reference book for overnight only making them available for teaching during the day.
ReplyDeleteI would like to check with my faculty on how they feel about this option. I can see the value of a check out system. But I use these books in the library, and I would be frustrated if a book I needed was checked out when I wanted to use it. I like the suggestion from Jill, that we look at unlimited use for checking out eBooks.
ReplyDeleteIs it possible to have a mixed system of checking out chapter books to students and teachers but keeping curriculum based books and quick picture books for immediate check out? Most of our grade levels plan and teach their curriculum at the same time so not only is one 4th grade grade class studying rocks, the other 2 are also. That way teachers could project a book on the smart board just during their science period and then check it in for others to use. A day check out might tie them up too long, a week would be too limiting. It makes sense to have a longer check out for novels though. Students here have devices and would use them to check out ebooks.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of unlimited checkout for some titles. I really don't know if my population would use them. their internet access is limited outside of school. Teachers would like the idea of being assured that the book will be there when they go to use it. I did run into that problem once or twice during holidays.
ReplyDeleteI also like the idea of checking out eBooks but I like Sheryl's idea of a mixed system for checking out. My students would love to have access to eBooks at home and be able to check them out for a week or more(the novels at least) but I don't think that the short picture books and curriculum books need to be checked out.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of kids being able to check out ebooks, and then read them in library. I am like Janice, where few kids have access at home. However, whenever I try to teach students to use ebooks, they become frustrated because of the "one user" set up. If they were able to check one out, then they know they are the only ones to access that book during library skills time.
ReplyDeleteTeachers at NW have become discouraged in trying to use the eBooks appropriate for middle school as they are available one day to preview and the next day when they want to use a previewed eBook it is usually being used at another school, so they would probably like the option to check out an eBook for 2 or 3 days.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure how many students at NW have devices with reading capabilities, but for those who do, I think it's a great idea to let them check out eBooks. Another avenue to promote reading in their lives is a plus.
Whatever helps students do more reading is great. I
I would like to see the possibility of students checking out books for at least one week at a time. However, many of my students don't have accessibility at home.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be great for a teacher to be able to check a book out at least for 24 hours as this would help with planning lessons. Is there a way to have the eBook program notify a teacher when a book is available to look at? If that was possible then when there is a book that is very popular, the program could notify the teachers waiting to use the book and the first one that gets to it will be able to use it. Perhaps the way it is now works like that though.
I would prefer the mixed version also. Longer books need to be checked out. The short books work fine in the current system.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tim. Mixed version sounds like a good solution.
ReplyDeleteI think the mixed version would also be best. I have never had availability issues, either, but for a longer book (novel) or a very specific curriculum book, it would be good to KNOW you have it when you are teaching it.
ReplyDeleteAs I began to read the comments above, I began to wonder if I had understood the concept correctly. Right now there is unlimited access, but you can't be certain that some one else will be using the book when you want/need it. However, it will be available as soon as they close/logout or within a short period after if they have forgotten that step. The proposal is to check-out a title so that no one but the specified person can use it for 2-3 days, regardless of whether it is in current use, and regardless of time of day. (Patron A checks out the book to use in his 10:00 class tomorrow - so patron B can not look at or use the book for a 2:00 class, or read it from home after school.) I really don't see this as maximizing the use of this resource, or as being a service to our patrons - teachers and students. We all have some books of which we bought multiple, multiple copies because they were in such high demand, and now that the craze is over, we could get by with half the number of copies. How many copies of Harry Potters have you purchased, and how many are now actually used at any given time? We did this because only 1 person could check out a copy of the book at a time, and we wanted/need to satisfy the demand. One of the great advantages to ebooks is that they can be accessed and used by multiple people in the same amount of time that a hard copy can only be used by 1 person. It would take much of that advantage away if we restrict the files to 1 person for even a day. It would be much better if there was a way to reserve access to a title for a short - less than a day - period of time, so that it might be available for class or lesson, but not to tie it up for others to use when it is not actually in use. If that is not possible to do, then I say leave access open to everyone, and let the multiple user function work to its full cost/benefit advantage.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about downloading a book rather than accessing them online.I love checking out eBooks on my Ipad from the public library. The shorter books aren't as necessary for download. Although, there have been times when I am using a particular book for a lesson at different times throughout the day and I haven't always found that it was available. I have tried to keep it open so it would be available and found that it would time me out. Yet if I am not using it and someone else needs it I have no need to down load it.
ReplyDeleteThe chapter books are so nice to be able to open it up to right where you left off. My students would love it for the popular books that are always checked out. Even though they might always be checked out this way too. It might not be as big of an issue with a shorter checkout time and with no chance of an overdue if they are automatically returned.
I have enjoyed having access to the ebooks and so far I have not had difficulty with them being tied up. I do believe that is students are able to check out the easier books they may end up being tied up continuously for the entire circulation time span. Longer fiction books need to be able to be used on devices and checked out, if they are going to read. I think as many mentioned in the above comments a mixed system would be good, and unlimited access to certain titles is fabulous. Maybe I will think more about starting an ebook collection at my school. I'm wondering if the option to check out your local ebook collection would be up to an individual school or would it be a global decision?
ReplyDeleteThese are a lot of good comments and it presents a lot to consider. Students have enjoyed ebooks during library and many have access at home. It would be nice to checkout for instruction and be able to rely on using it. Maybe there could be a way to show if someone wanted your title so you could "check in" as soon as you were done with it? Just something to consider along with all the other input given.
ReplyDeleteMy teachers and students have been frustrated with the one person at a time check out with the e-books. Teachers cannot plan with them since the book may not be available by the time the lesson comes up; students because they want to read the same book as their friend next to them. I have not had much luck selling them.
ReplyDeleteThe suggestions for access and limitations for my students have been mentioned very well above. My push this spring is to really figure out these Follett e-books so I can sell these resources to my community.